Burning MP3 CDs on an HP CD-Writer causes problems when CD is played in a certain palyer!

I have recorded several MP3 CDs on an HP CD-Writer 9500i series (ATAPI) and all the CDs play perfectly on my handheld CD player as well as on the PC CD-ROM drive, and of course on the CD-Writer itself.
I used both Nero 5.5 and Easy CD Creator 5 to write the CDs. Also, there is the Adaptec ASPI layer installed on the PC (because they were needed by the audio CD ripping software).
When the CDs are played on a SONY CDX-F5500 car MP3 player, many skips happen in every song, even if the car is stopped.
I then tried to burn a new CD on a LITE-ON COMBO LTC-48161H writer (on another PC) and; surprisingly, the CD worked just fine on the SONY player!!!
The software used was Easy CD Creator 6. No ASPI layer.
Is it the CD-Writer that causes the problem? or the software? or the ASPI? or maybe a combination? or what!!!
Any ideas?

Sounds like the ASPI layer is causing it. I would think if it were the software , either Nero or Ez CD would work (atleast 1 would work if the other failed) if it were a software issue. Have you tried the latest ASPI layer from Adaptec??

I didn't see your OS and this update is specific. So make sure to read the page! (or read below)
It's for 98 and NT only

Caution:
Do NOT install ASPI32.EXE with Windows 2000, Windows ME, Windows XP, Easy CD Creator 4.x, or with Windows Media Player 7.0. If you have one of these applications (or operating systems), you will be using a different aspi layer that will conflict with the one provided in this file.

Description:
Updated ASPI drivers version 4.71.2 for Windows 98, NT 4, Me, 2000 and XP. Includes ASPICHK version checking utility. Adaptec provides this software without charge and as a courtesy to Adaptec product users but offers no technical support regarding this software.

Just to precise.
In fact, an information that could help us to help you as targetting the problem is to provide the OS version.

Otherwise, my advice will be to use only one version at a time.
So either using Nero or ECDCreator, but not both installed together.
Both of those software can let a task running on the background and depending on the boundaries created with your HP drive, that could badly influence the session.

So, what you can do is to uninstall both of it, clear your config as much as possible and after, install one and try again with your HP writer.
And/or try your HP drive with another computer.

Regarding Callandor comment:
The mp3 files are read from the hard disk when the CD is recorded. No direct ripping-recording.
Also, you said "It is likely that one drive is better than the other at producing CDs...", I can not really understand how and why each recorder produces different CDs! I have heard this in the past, but can not understand why (and how) this is happening!!! In fact, my initial assessment when the problem disappered after recording on the other CD-Writer, was the CD-Writer itself! But I am really unsure until this moment.
It is confusing when the CDs play on many other players while not on this one (the SONY)!!!

Regarding DoTheDEW335 comments:
My OS is WIN2K and I have the latest ASPI layer. I do not remember the version right now but I am sure that it was the latest version when I installed it (about 6 months ago) because Adaptec did not release a newer version after this one. It also has the ASPICHK.

Thank you both...and would like to hear your comments again.
Best regards.

Thank you Arl...
The older mp3 CDs were recorded when only the ECDC was installed. I installed Nero just to see whether the software is causing the problem. Also, before I run any of the two software, I do make sure that nothing of the other software is running in the background (systray, services, etc.)...and I already have removed enerything from the "... - Current Version - Run" registry key for both ECDC and Nero, just to make sure that I will have no conflicts between them.

Win2K, good, just as usual, are you using the last SP ? or at least the SP4 ?

other : just in case, brand of cd used ? have you tried with another brand on your computer ?
And is the cd working fine on the other computer was also the same brand than you have tried on yours ?

What you can try also, is to disable for both of software the startup (when computer startup)

also, check with the last version of each software, 6.3 for Nero and sorry, I m not used with ECDCreator, but the one you have tried on the other computer.
You can just try the trial version, just to check.

And during this last period, haven't you installed any software that can change any hardware settings ?
Video software, other burning software...

I was recommending the use of Exact Audio Copy to compare the discs you burned, not as part of how you burned the originals. If the files are the same, I think the media or way that each burner works is the cause of the skipping; if the files are different, I think the software is the cause.

Arl:
I have SP3 for Windows. I am not sure if the Windows service pack has anything to do with CD burning!
For the CD brand, I have used 2 brands on both CD-Writers. Both brands have the same problem on when burning on the HP writer, while both are ok when burning on the LITE-ON writer.
Regarding startup, nothing starts-up with Windows because I deleted all entries from the registry.
Regarding the version of the burning software, yes, I have a different versions but I am really unsure if the version playes any role...but who knows!!

Callandor....sorry, but I couldn't understand what you were recommending exactly. Could you please expalin in more details? How do I do an Exact Audio Copy to compare the disks? and how can I compare the files? using the DOS command to compare files (I don't remember the command)...

gustavlasko...I have checked the firmware of the HP writer and it is the latest.

Use EAC to extract the mp3 files from both CDs and put them in separate directories. Use FC to compare the files - if they are identical, that means the physical CDs are different, and it is likely the drives causing the difference. If the files are different, it is likely the software causing this, and you would need to go further to see if the same software causes the problem on other drives.

Indeed, me too, I'm not sure about the relation with the SP influence, but this is kind of basic step that we always suggest.
In this case, most of technical support will advise you to dwnd and install the last one : SP4.

Anyway, may I suggest to try to clean your writer...
For doing so, you can buy a simple cd cleaner. Otherwise, if the drive is no more in warranty and you feel enough confident, you can open it and with a cotton-tip you can gently clean the lense.

Otherwise, to avoid waste of time, the best test will be to try your dirve on the other computer...

Callandor,
Thank you for your suggestion. I couldn't find how to extract mp3 files using EAC!! :-(
It asks me for an audio CD!
Anyway, I have copied few mp3 files from both CDs (copied as files from the Windows Explorer) and compared them with FC /B and there were no differences!

Arl,
Thank you for your comment.
I have installed SP4 for Windows and have updated my ASPI layer to v4.71.2 (sorry DoTheDEW335, it seems that I had a previous version of ASPI). However, the problem still exists :-(

Regarding cleaning the writer, I am not sure if this could cause the problem...simply because the CDs work just fine on other players including the CD-ROM drive and the CD-Writer drive!

First, I would like to thank you all for your help.
In fact, none of your suggestions work.
Apparently, it seems that the problem is that the Sony player does not like the CDs burned with the HP writer.
I tried almost everything I can think of, but to no avail :-(
I accepted callandor's comment just because he was the first one to respond to my Q.

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